A Gilbert Christmas
by RibenaAddict
Summary: Completely A/U Elena's family is now broke after her parent's death and all she wants is the perfect Christmas, what happens when the mysterious Salvatore brothers offer her a cleaning job?


A/N: This story does start off with a little Elena/Stephan, but I will fix this I promise!

A Gilbert Christmas

30th November

Elena paused at the top of her stairs when she heard the conversation downstairs.

"Jeremy, we just can't afford to have a party!" Aunt Jenna shouted at Elena's younger brother. She looked exhausted, Elena thought to herself, between completing her studies and taking a job flipping burgers Jenna was wearing herself out. Her parents had died a couple of months ago, since then her Aunt Jenna had been taking care of her and her brother; she was doing the best she could. Jenna sighed and tucked her hair behind her ears, staring at the floor boards determinedly, and her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I don't even know if I'm going to be able to afford to get you guys a tree this year…"

"What's going on?" Elena interrupted. Her brother looked furious and Jenna looked on the verge of a meltdown from their conversation. Jenna took a deep breath to calm herself.

"I was just trying to explain to your brother that we don't have enough money to have a party this Christmas," Jenna said through gritted teeth, one traitorous tear made its way down her cheek. Jeremy glared daggers at their Aunt.

"Mom and Dad held a party every Christmas Eve, we have to carry that on!" he shouted in Jenna's direction, avoiding making eye contact with her. Elena guessed some part of his consciousness could see Jenna's current state; the rest of it clearly didn't give a crap.

"Jeremy..." Elena started.

"Guys I'm trying here," Jenna mumbled, trying not to let her voice crack, still staring at the floor.

"Then it's not hard enough!" Jeremy shouted, "You're supposed to take care of us now! But you can't even do that!" He spun quickly and stomped up the stairs, slamming the door to his room. Elena rushed forward to try and hug Aunt Jenna, but she was pushed away.

"He's right Elena, I can't do anything," Jenna whispered finally letting her tears run freely and looking directly at Elena, allowing her to see the worry and emotional pain in her Aunt's eyes.

"What happened to all my parent's money?" Elena asked, afraid of the answer. Maybe Aunt Jenna was on drugs?

"It got squandered on luxuries like food and power," Jenna said, laughing sarcastically, "This house," she gestured wildly around her, her voice escalating with each syllable, "just sitting here, doing nothing, costs money, money that I don't have," her face began to contort with tears, with that Aunt Jenna took off upstairs, sniffling all the way, and slammed the door to her room too.

Elena sat down on the sofa, her mind whirling. She hadn't even considered that fact that her Aunt was only a few years older than her, she still just expected Jenna to take care of her and Jeremy, be the grown up, to keep things exactly the same. The fact that there was going to be no Christmas party was clearly breaking Jeremy's heart, and the fact that there might not be a Christmas tree was clearly bothering Aunt Jenna. And no one should be unhappy at Christmas, especially not her family, they had been through enough these last few months to last them all a lifetime.

That point in time, right there, is what made Elena Gilbert determined to make a traditional Gilbert Christmas happen for her family. To make a Gilbert Christmas happen she needed money, and to get money she would need to get a job.

1st December

Stefan stared down into his glass of bourbon. It was usually his brother's drink of choice, but seen as his brother seemed to want them to share everything nowadays, he thought, hell, why not? He swirled the contents of the glass, debating if the ten minutes of burning throat was worth his aching heart hurting a miniscule amount less for about five seconds. He glanced up and caught sight of a girl at the bar, she was talking to the bar's manager and didn't seem too happy with his response, she turned slightly and Stefan got a proper look at her face. But her face… it couldn't be… she had come back for him? Maybe she had decided sleeping with his brother was a mistake and come to ask his forgiveness? Maybe she couldn't see him up here in his booth, selected for its ability to place him in shadow, but still allow him to see the goings on around him. Stefan turned his head slightly to focus his hearing on her conversation, intrigued.

"There must be something I could do?" she was asking him, "wait tables? Wash dishes? Something?" she pleaded, coming off a little desperate. Why would Katherine Pierce need a job he wondered?

"Like I said sweetness, I got nothing here. I took on all my holiday staff weeks ago," the manager grunted, arms folded defensively, "What does Elena Gilbert need a job for anyway? Aren't your family, like, loaded?" The girl glared at him, swung her satchel back over her shoulder, spun on her heel and left.

Well that was interesting. After Katherine had told him she had been sleeping with both Stefan and his brother, Damon, and that she didn't pick either him or his brother to be with, and furthermore she was leaving town, here she was hiding under another identity. But that seemed to raise even more questions within him, most of them focused on why. Making an instantaneous decision he downed his shot of bourbon and followed Katherine out the door. She hadn't gotten far; clearly she wasn't using her speed in public anymore.

Stefan reached out and grabbed her arm, causing Katherine to whirl to meet him, anger in her eyes. Only then did he feel the distinctive thump-thump of her heart through her wrist. Her very human heart. This wasn't Katherine, Katherine was very much dead, well living dead, and this girl practically exuded life.

"Get off me you creep!" Elena shouted, still trying to dislodge his arm from hers, bringing Stefan back to the present.

"Oh I'm sorry," Stefan said, recovering himself, he had to think quickly, "I didn't mean to be rude, but I overheard your conversation in the Grill back there," he had no idea where to go with this yet, but the look on her face told him she was highly embarrassed he had.

"It was nothing. Bye," she started to walk away again and Stefan was at a loss for words. He couldn't let this girl, Katherine's exact replica; escape him as suddenly as she had appeared.

"I wanted to offer you a job!" Stefan shouted before he could stop himself. Elena faced him again, her face filled with surprise and hope.

"I need a…" oh crap, what could he hire her as, "…a…cleaner! Yes a cleaner!" he said relieved, "I have family visiting for the holidays, and I want everything perfect."

Elena eyed him suspiciously, "You don't sound too sure."

"I am I promise, your beauty just threw me off guard," he covered quickly and saw her blush slightly, "Come on, lets talk about exactly what I need you to do, and what I will be paying you."


End file.
